1. Field of the Disclosure
The technology of the disclosure relates to fiber optic terminals, systems, and methods for providing differentiated network services and/or differentiated network service overlays to subscribers of a fiber optic network.
2. Technical Background
To provide improved performance to subscribers, communication and data networks are increasingly employing optical fiber. The benefits of optical fiber are well known and include higher signal-to-noise ratios and increased bandwidth. To further improve performance, fiber optic networks are increasingly providing optical fiber connectivity all the way to end subscribers. These initiatives include various fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP), fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), and other fiber initiatives (generally described as FTTx). In this regard, FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary fiber optic network 10. The fiber optic network 10 in this example is a passive optical network (PON). A PON is a point-to-multipoint FTTx network architecture to enable an optical fiber to serve multiple premises. A PON configuration generally reduces the amount of optical fiber and central office equipment as compared with point-to-point optical network architectures.
The fiber optic network 10 in FIG. 1 provides optical signals from switching points 12 over a distribution network 13 comprised of fiber optic feeder cables 14. The switching points 12 include optical line terminals (OLTs) or forward lasers/return receivers 15 that convert electrical signals to and from optical signals. The optical signals may then be carried over the fiber optic feeder cables 14 to local convergence points (LCPs) 16. The LCPs 16 act as consolidation points for splicing and making cross-connections and interconnections, as well as providing locations for optical couplers and splitters. The optical couplers and splitters in the LCPs 16 enable a single optical fiber to serve multiple subscriber premises 20. Fiber optic cables 18, such as distribution cables, exit the LCPs 16 to carry optical signals between the fiber optic network 10 and the subscriber premises 20. Typical subscriber premises 20 include single-dwelling units (SDU), multi-dwelling units (MDU), businesses, and/or other facilities or buildings. End subscribers in the subscriber premises 20 may contain network devices configured to receive electrical signals as opposed to optical signals. Thus, optical network terminals (ONTs) and/or optical network units (ONUs) 21 may be provided at the subscriber premises 20 to convert optical signals received over the fiber optic cables 18 to electronic signals.
Because LCPs 16 are typically configured to service multiple premises 20, the fiber optic cables 18 leaving the LCPs 16 are typically run to one or more intermediate fiber distribution terminals (FDTs) 22. FDTs 22 facilitate FTTx applications by providing network access points to the fiber optic network 10 to groupings of subscriber premises 20. Optical interconnections to the subscriber premises 20 are typically provided via indoor/outdoor drop cables 24 that are optically interconnected with the fiber optic cables 18 within the FDTs 22. The FDTs 22 also provide a consolidated location for technicians or other installation personnel to make and protect splices and/or connections between the drop cables 24 and the fiber optic cables 18 as opposed to making splices and/or connections in sporadic locations.
The fiber optic network 10 is capable of providing different levels of network services to subscriber premises 20 and different end subscribers at multi-unit subscriber premises 20. In this manner, different end subscribers can be charged at different rates based on their selected level of service. For example, the fiber optic network 10 may be capable of providing a premium, faster data-rate service to subscriber premises 20. However, some end subscribers at subscriber premises 20 may not need or desire the bandwidth provided in the premium data service. In this regard, the ONT and/or ONU 21 deployed at the subscriber premises 20 may be configured to control the level of service to only allow a standard, slower data-rate service. This is because the fiber optic network 10 in FIG. 1 is homogeneous, meaning the highest level of service available is provided over all fiber optic feeder cables 14 and fiber optic cables 18 regardless of whether each subscriber premises 20 has subscribed to the highest level of service.
When setting up a PON, service operators must consider providing ONUs that support differentiated services, such as higher bandwidth services and/or packet delivery assured services to service future potential increased bandwidth needs and demands of end subscribers. Some examples of these services include Ethernet PON (EPON), Gigabit PON (GPON), ten (10) Gigabit EPON (10 G-EPON), 10 G-GPON, WDM-based network services, such as for example, Wave Division Multiplexing PON (WDM-PON). The ONUs must be configured to recognize and transfer PON services provided by the PON. One approach is to delay providing ONUs that support differentiated PON services until demand or need exists. The initial costs may be less using this approach. However, this approach would also require eventually swapping-out initially installed ONUs with ONUs that support the differentiated PON services supported by the PON, thus increasing total cost and potentially disrupting service to subscribers.
Another approach is to initially pre-position ONUs capable of supporting differentiated PON services (e.g., EPON, GPON, 10 G-EPON, 10 G-GPON, and WDM-PON) in advance of supporting revenue streams. This approach may be necessary if it is desired to provide certain end subscribers with differentiated services. It may also be desired to provide different types of PON services to different end subscribers which may be closely located to each other. For example, it may be desirable to service closely located business end subscribers and residential end subscribers off of the same network even though business subscribers typically subscribe to differentiated PON services. However, initial costs of providing ONUs capable of supporting differentiated PON services may be initially higher than using the delay approach.